Kochi/Kuwait City: Over 100 women, including a large number of Keralites, who have been illegally brought to Kuwait by various recruitment agencies by offering them jobs as domestic help, have finally taken shelter in the Indian Embassy.
They are currently being lodged in the rescue home of the Embassy. Most of them came via Kochi in Kerala. It will take a minimum of one month for the authorities to send them back to Kerala after completing all paperwork.
Those stranded include three women sent by Majeed, alias M K Gaasali, of Taliparamba in Kannur district, who is an accused in the human trafficking case which is currently being investigated by the Kochi City Police.
Even those who worked as school teachers in Kerala came to Kuwait through this illegal route. Those who escaped from the clutches of the gang managed to approach the Indian Embassy. All these hapless people came to eke out a living by believing the words of the recruiting agencies.
Meanwhile, the police inquiry team in Kerala has received reports that three women sent by Majeed to the foreign country are missing.
Women hailing from Mangalore, Mumbai and Coimbatore are missing. Of this, the native of Mumbai was staying with the woman from Fort Kochi, who managed to escape from her bonded labourer job in Kuwait.
Majeed may surrender
The Kochi City Police sources said Majeed may surrender before the Kuwaiti authorities. The police have also received information that he is seeking to obtain anticipatory bail.
Earlier, his aide Ajumon (35) surrendered before the police after he was made an accused in the case.
Ajumon, a native of Pathanamthitta, claimed he placed advertisements in Kerala to recruit people willing to work abroad.
"I was only acting on the instructions of Majeed," Ajumon claimed.
Ajumon used to bring women to Sharjah on visiting visas from Kerala after promising them jobs at day-care centres. He received a commission in return.
Ajumon also claimed that Majeed lured women by promising them a salary up to Rs 60,000. He further said that he never knew that these women were used as slaves.
